The Sport, Disability and Leisure report adopted by the Committee of the Regions in November 2013 contains a recognition “of the value and importance of physical activity and sport for people with a disability and the fact that it can make an effective contribution to achieving the EU’s strategic goals”. The report specifically emphasises the need to improve the capacity and quality of coaching, instructing and teaching. This report argues that education and training initiatives are required that provide information not only to sport and physical activity personnel but also towards the general public, for example through the use of online training tools. Since there is little doubt that these actors and contexts are of great importance, the PRIMAE project targets their needs. The overarching ambition for the impact of the project is to increase levels of engagement in inclusive coach education, especially for persons with a disability in Europe. A secondary effect will be to increase physical activity among persons with a disability in Europe through improving the knowledge, skills and understanding of martial arts. By following a stage-by-stage process of trialling and evaluation, it is expected that the project outputs will impact upon the empowerment, self-confidence and self-regulation of the persons with a disability. Participation and Recreation through Inclusive Martial Arts Education and E-learning addresses the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and active inclusive growth which sets targets to lift at least 20 million people out of poverty and social exclusion and to increase employment of the population aged 20-64 to 75%. The flagship initiatives of the Europe 2020 strategy, including the Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion and the Agenda for New Skills and Jobs, support efforts to reach these targets Poverty and In-Work Poverty In the EU 28 in 2013, about 19 % of the population aged 16 or more in the EU-28 with an activity limitation was at risk of poverty. The highest values were observed in Portugal (14 %), Greece (21 %) and Romania (22 %). In 2013, 68 % of the EU-28 population aged 16 or more and having some activity limitation would have been at risk of poverty without state support. 12 % of those in employment and having an activity limitation were at-risk-of-poverty. Social Exclusion Eurostat AROPE showed that 30% are at risk of poverty or social exclusion and gender inequality can double the rate of social exclusion amongst disabled people. Unemployment Less than 50% of disabled people with fundamental activity difficulties are employed in the EU Education According to Eurostat, disabled people leave education and training earlier than non-disabled people, with only 25% gaining 1st or 2nd stage of tertiary education and youth NEET rates at around double amongst persons with a disability. Additional barriers to social integration for people with a disability include mobility and transport, access to buildings, access to education, access to leisure activities and discrimination. However, technology enables even severely disabled people to communicate unaided, giving them independence and privacy that is not possible when they need to rely on assistance. A significant advantage is that, when communicating online through an e-learning platform, a disability may not be visible, removing barriers caused by people’s reactions or discrimination towards the disabled person. An Inclusive eLearning Best Practice report, Inclusive Curriculum, Inclusive Pedagogical Plan, and Inclusive eLearning course in physical activity (martial arts) and education on an eLearning platform will be created using the ADDIE methodology to provide learners with and without a disability with the specific opportunity to gain the following accredited and regulated Awards and Certificates on the European Qualification Framework Level 1 Award or Activators in Inclusive Martial Arts (EQF2) Level 2 Award for Activity Coaches in Inclusive Martial Arts (EQF3) Level 2 Certificate for Coach Instructors in Inclusive Martial Arts (EQF3) Level 3 Award in Education and Training (EQF4) Level 3 Award in Vocationally Related Assessment (EQF4) Level 3 Certificate in Internal Quality Assurance (EQF4) Level 5 Certificate in Education and Training (EQF6) During the project, we expect to provide accessible learning to a minimum of: 50 people for Level 1 and 2 coaches/activity coaches/ activators; 32 people for L3 Awards in Education and Training or; 32 people for L3 Assessor Qualifications; 2 people for L3 IQA; 5 people with L5 Certificates in Education and Training; 120 new disabled participants in adapted physical activity who will acquire new learning and physical skills; At least 100 persons with a disability who will acquire new competences and skills for empowering themselves, increasing their independence, enhancing personal development, and beginning an educational journey
Pre-Covid, Ikkaido saw firsthand how disabled and disadvantaged people are excluded through a lack of accessible e-learning. We had many learners unable to access learning and even apprenticeships and employment because they had not been considered in the design of online educational programmes. Deaf people, people with visual impairment and persons with learning disabilities and autism are excluded from educational opportunities because they can't access online learning which has not been adapted for their use. So, one of Ikkaido's main ambitions was to develop an online fully accessible and adapted education for persons with and without a disability, that was also about the coaching and teaching persons with a disability.
Disabled people face barriers to social inclusion including mobility and transport, access to buildings, access to education, access to digital education, access to leisure activities and discrimination. Ikkaido's vision of social inclusion is shown in Ikkaido's Ladder of Participation, where disabled and disadvantaged people work side by side with everyone else to resolve issues and as a result, Ikkaido develops and employs persons with fewer opportunities, especially persons with a disability. The Board of Trustees and staff are all persons with disability. PRIMAE was developed as ani inclusive view of society, empowering every person, but particularly the most disadvantaged people to fully participate in society including gaining education and employment. So, we applied for this project to create inlcusive and accessible learning materials, framed in the context of inclusive and accessible martial arts coaching, and delivered on an inclusive and accessible e-learning platform. Inclusion and accessibility aimed to create the widest possible reach whilst also providing capacity building for martial arts and participation, education and employment opportunities for disabled people and martial artists.